Pillars
by GreenWolf82
Summary: After the war, and believing she has lost Naruto to the woman he's always wanted, Hinata makes a decision to change herself and become someone she can really be proud of. She makes a surprising investment in the future of Konoha, and achieves one of her deepest dreams along the way.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So…this is my first fanfic…ever :)****. The first chapter is REALLY short, more of a prologue really, and the others will be several times longer. There will be differences between my story and the series because in all honesty there's so much going on it's hard to fit everything, and the series in ongoing so there is no way for me to account for what's going to happen later on. The characters will also be a bit OOC because, well war changes people, and everyone will have grown a bit. There will also be several original characters, so I'm sorry if that bothers you. :)**

**I don't own Naruto, or any of the characters. Which everyone should be grateful for because I would've ruined it a LONG time ago :)**

* * *

Hinata stared silently at the memorial in front of her, tears streaming down her face and blurring her vision. There was complete silence all around her. Even the wind had stopped. She could hear nothing but the sound of her own shallow breathing and it made her feel so much more alone. The war had officially ended several weeks ago and she was finally getting the chance to mourn over everything she lost. Naruto's ever loyal heart had once again chosen Sakura, and the two of them were in the very beginning of what she could only assume would be a very successful relationship. She sighed and rubbed the tears from her eyes.

"I know what you're probably thinking, but I am happy for him. It hurts, and I will most likely continue to love him, but I will not continue to suffer for him. You gave me a chance to live, and I won't waste it by wallowing in depression. The war left a deep scar on this earth, and I am going to do everything I possibly can to help it heal." She reached out and touched the recently carved name.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me until now. I love you, and will miss you, but if you can hear me, I don't want you to worry. It may have taken a war for me to realize it, but I am a strong woman. And that is largely due to your influence in my life. So I am going to make you this promise, just between us and the trees." She smiled softly and dropped her hand.

"I will become a pillar for humanity."

Turning, she slowly began walking home, lifting her gaze to the sky.

"Goodbye for now, Neji-niisan."


	2. Chapter 2

**So, as promised, this chapter is longer. I know there isn't much NaruHina right now but it's coming, I promise. **

**Again, I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. Masashi Kishimoto does.**

Hinata woke early the next morning, forced from her dreams by the feeling of something tickling her nose. She opened her eyes and smiled softly. Sometime during the night Hanabi had crawled into her bed. Again. The poor girl was more heart-broken over Neji's death than she would allow anyone to know, and for the past three nights had taken to sleeping with Hinata for comfort. Hinata brushed a strand of hair behind Hanabi's ear and narrowed her eyes.

'_It's upsetting that she feels the need to be so guarded around her own family.' _

Changing the clan was **definitely **on her list of things to do, but unfortunately that would have to wait several years.

'_And chances are I will just be helping __**Hanabi **__make changes. I don't believe I am the right choice for clan head.'_

It was something that trailed behind her like a shadow growing up. Her family thought she was too weak to lead and she fought tooth and nail to prove them wrong. But last night, as she was plotting the decisions she would make to keep her promise, she realized that in a way, they were right. She was by no means _weak,_ but she also wasn't what they needed. If changes were going to be made, they would have to be gradual; made by someone who could be kind and forgiving like herself, and as obstinate and _un_forgiving as the elders.

Hinata stood and stretched, padding softly to her bathroom to shower and brush her teeth. She had a lot to do today, and might as well get a head start.

* * *

Naruto stared up at his ceiling, disoriented and trying desperately to figure out why he had woken up on the floor with a migraine and stars dancing behind his eyelids. The answer came with a pair of furious emerald eyes now in his line of vision.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Did you forget we had a date? I waited at the bridge for a full HOUR. I thought something terrible happened to you!" She screamed, her right hand still in a fist. Naruto sat up slowly, rubbing his head and smiling sheepishly at her.

"Sorry Sakura-chan. I was so excited I couldn't fall asleep last night." It was a lie. He had been unable to sleep because he was still haunted by dreams of the war, still riddled with guilt over the people who had lost their lives. Still reeling over the fact that although he got the chance to see his father, to fight side by side with him, in the end he still had to say goodbye. He forced a smile onto his face and stood up, bouncing slightly on the spot. Sakura huffed and turned her face away, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's fine, I guess. But now I'm _really_ hungry, so hurry up and get ready. I'll wait outside." Without another word, Naruto raced into his bathroom and slammed the door. Sakura chuckled slightly to herself and walked into the living room.

Naruto was ready in under five minutes, and walked outside to see Sakura standing with a picnic basket in her hands. She was gazing out his window and he took a moment to look at her. She was wearing a simple yellow sundress, as opposed to her usual attire and she looked beautiful…but he couldn't help feeling like he wasn't as stunned as he should have been. Feeling his eyes on her she turned her head and smiled.

"You ready to go?"

They walked in relative silence, and Naruto glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes every so often, still trying to figure out why he felt so…normal around her. They were on their first date! Shouldn't he be bouncing out of his skin in excitement? Shouldn't his heart be beating a mile a minute, dangerously close to stopping altogether? She smiled suddenly and broke into a trot.

"We're here!"

Naruto looked up and realized she was right. The spot they decided on for their date was the very spot they first became teammates, the three posts still miraculously standing after the damage done to the village by Nagato, what seemed like a lifetime ago. Sakura was already spreading out the blanket and he grinned, walking over to help her unload the food. There was a conspicuous lack of ramen and he sighed before picking up a rice ball. Sakura laughed at him, breaking her chopsticks and looking for the sashimi she had packed.

"I'm sorry, but you _really _should eat more than ramen. I've been saying this for years."

"But Sakura-Chan," he pouted like a child, "Ramen is AWESOME! _I've _been saying for years that _you _should eat more of it!"

She swallowed and turned her gaze on him. Her eyes as sharp and brilliantly green as ever, but once again he noticed that his heart didn't skip a beat, and his breath didn't catch in his throat.

"I eat _enough_ ramen. If someone with a normal metabolism ate the amount you do on a daily basis they would die within a year." She giggled a little at her own joke.

They continued to eat and talk for the next twenty minutes. With his mind distracted from its usual depressing thoughts he managed a real chuckle every once in a while, and it felt just like old times. Sakura sighed suddenly and stretched her arms over her head.

"Well, I'm going to have to cut our date short." She spoke as she started packing up the food. Naruto froze. He…had forgotten this was supposed to be a date. What the hell was wrong with him? He'd wanted a date with Sakura for as long as he could remember, and now that he was actually on one it just felt like grabbing lunch with his teammate. Oblivious to his inner turmoil, Sakura continued talking.

"Unfortunately, since _someone_ decided to sleep in twenty minutes is really all I can spare. I have a shift at the hospital in a little while. There are still a lot of patients from the war; especially because Konoha volunteered to help with the more critical cases from the other nations. I've been pulled from all missions for the next few weeks."

That snapped him out of his thoughts, the mention of war bringing back dangerous memories and feelings.

"I'll walk you to the hospital. I need to speak with Granny anyway."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched as she stood waiting for him to grab the basket and follow her.

"Don't call her Granny!"

* * *

Hinata sat across from her father, nervous under his silent gaze. After breakfast, she decided she would talk to him about her plans first. But no matter how much she prepared for this discussion, she was still anxious to the point of sweating. She was nervous because for part of this conversation she would actually need to get his _permission _to continue with her plan, which may be hard seeing as how she really hadn't worked out too many of the details. She was also nervous because the other part was something she had been avoiding since she was thirteen.

'_I need to go through with it anyway. I was selfishly holding onto the hope that Naruto-kun and I may have had a future together. But I'm not a child anymore, and if I want Hanabi to officially be chosen for the next clan head without any problems, then I need to remove myself as an option. And in order to do that…'_

"Hinata." Hiashi's voice cut into her inner dialogue and she met his gaze. "What is it you wanted to talk about?" Hinata took a deep breath and steeled her resolve.

"I want to talk about the suitors the elders have been trying to get me to consider."

Hiashi raised an eyebrow slightly, but showed no other outward reaction. Despite his blank expression Hinata could almost _feel _the questions rolling around in his head and waited for him to choose one.

"You would agree to an arranged marriage?"

"Not exactly. I cannot blindly trust my future to a group of greedy old men. If they had the choice they would choose whoever they figured they could benefit the most from, and I'm not willing to gamble with my chances at a happy future to satisfy them. However, I am willing to meet with the men they favor, and to see for _myself _if there is a possibility for me to be content with any of their choices."

Hiashi stared at her hard for a solid minute. Again, she could feel the curiosity radiating off of him and waited patiently for his reply.

"What made you change your opinion on this matter?"

Hinata bit her lip. How do you tell your father that the love of your life chose another woman and the chances of you ever marrying for love is now basically zero?

"I've been thinking a lot about the future. My future, this clan's future, and the future of this village. And I decided that this was as good a start as any for the changes I am planning to make. I was holding onto a selfish dream that I have to let go of if I want to do anything."

Hiashi stared at her again and this time his gaze was a little sad. Hinata had the feeling he knew what dream she was talking about and suddenly her throat felt tight and her eyes started to burn just a bit. She prayed he wouldn't dig any deeper, because the decision had been hard and still left her heart feeling raw. Her relationship with her father may be infinitely better than it used to be, but that didn't mean she wanted to cry in front of him.

"Very well. I will talk with the counsel and have them decide on several suitors for you to meet. If that is all, you may go." Hinata smiled slightly because she realized he was giving her a chance to leave before her emotions got the best of her. Normally she would take that chance but today, she had more important things to worry about.

"Actually, there is one more thing I would like to discuss with you. It's about the currently unused building just outside the complex."

He raised an eyebrow, silently telling her to continue.

"I know that you were purposefully keeping it empty, so in a few years when the clan begins to grow larger we can expand easily but…well a few years is plenty of time to build more and I think I could put it to good use _now._"

"…You want to move out?" Hinata bit her lip again. Of course he'd figure out where she was heading, even if _she _hadn't quite figured out how to say it.

"Yes, but, it's more than that…"


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Naruto. :)**

"You…you want to _what_?"

Hinata sighed, watching Tsunade lower the sake to stare at her incredulously. She expected that reaction. Her father had been just as confused. It had taken some convincing but he eventually agreed to let her go through with it. He even offered his support as head of the clan. If she could make her _father _see that this was a good idea surely she could do the same with the Hokage…right?

"I noticed that since the war ended the orphanage has become a bit…crowded. I would like to adopt some of the children who lost their families in the war."

Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose, pushing the sake to the side and wishing she had more.

"Hinata, that's a very noble thought but you're just a kid yourself! You shouldn't be raising _a _child, let alone several. You know I have faith in you and your abilities but this is just too much for one person. I'm sorry but I don't think this is a good idea. These kids are already suffering and if something goes wrong they could develop some serious long term issues."

Hinata frowned slightly and stared across the desk at Tsunade, trying to figure out which part of that statement to pick apart first.

"Officially, I'm asking that these kids be adopted by the _Hyuga clan._ I don't intend to do this alone, though truthfully I will be the most involved. I've already spoken with my father and he has agreed to lend his support. I am well aware of the difficulties and responsibilities that this involves but I believe I can really make a difference in their future by offering a warmer environment than a crowded orphanage. I know there is a chance that things may end badly but I'm choosing to focus on the possibilities should things go _right." _

Her hands were shaking slightly by the end of her speech and she clasped them together in front of her so Tsunade wouldn't notice her nerves. Both women were silent for a while. Tsunade reached for the bottle of sake again, pouring the rest into her cup. She swirled it around a bit before putting it down and letting out a heavy breath.

"Hinata, why do you want to do this in the first place?"

_That _was a question her father hadn't bothered to ask, and Hinata lowered her gaze for a second, thinking about the promise she made in front of the memorial stone.

'_I will become a pillar for humanity.'_

It had been a little frustrating to accept, but she would never be the kind of person to make a difference in the spotlight, like Naruto-kun. She knew without a doubt that he would become Hokage, and with everyone watching he would slowly start to change the world. And she'd known since her childhood that she was meant to be in the background. She would become a rock, a solid foundation on which the next generation of shinobi could stand.

"During the war, I witnessed the worst side of humanity, and the best. The fighting may have stopped, but we are still far from peace. The world is about to start changing, whether we are prepared or not and I want to do my part to ensure that it changes for the better."

Tsunade examined the young woman in front of her. She remembered when she first met Hinata years ago. The meek little bundle of nerves had trembled and stuttered and blushed just trying to introduce herself, unable to look anyone in the eye for more than a second. She was still soft-spoken, but her will was made of just as much fire as the rest of the village. There was steel under those soft words and bright blushes and Tsunade finally cracked a smile.

"How many children did you have in mind?"

Hinata's eyes widened and she gave a broad smile, her relief so strong she just wanted to sigh and sink into a chair.

"The house my father is providing has about seven extra rooms. One will be converted into a nursery that should be large enough for two infants."

Tsunade nodded her head slightly. "The adoption of eight kids should be a significant relief for the orphanage. Maybe some of the other clans will be inspired by this little move to take on some of the load too…I was skeptical at first but if this goes well the possibilities are pretty incredible…"

"OI! Baa-chan!"

The door swung open, interrupting Tsunade's musings. Hinata's heart thudded to a painful stop. She closed her eyes, hoping to reign in the emotions she felt rushing through her.

"I really need to talk to-"

"DON'T CALL ME BAA-CHAN!"

Naruto didn't even see the empty sake bottle that crashed into his forehead, the force actually knocking him on his ass just outside the room. Tsunade huffed angrily and turned back to Hinata.

"Get the house ready. I'll have the papers drawn up and hopefully things will be settled by the end of the week. I suggest you and your dad visit the orphanage and decide on who you will be adopting."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Hinata turned and walked over to where a dazed Naruto still sat on the floor, his eyes unfocused and his head bobbing a little.

"Are you alright, Naruto-kun?" Her question was a little quieter than she was aiming for, but she was still proud that she'd asked it in a steady voice with only the slightest blush on her cheeks. This was the first time she had seen him, much less spoken to him, since Sakura had told her she and Naruto were dating. It was good to know that she could handle talking to him even with the knowledge that she had lost him.

* * *

Naruto looked up at the soft question, meeting Hinata's concerned gaze. When their eyes locked a light dusting of pink rose to her cheeks and he stared, fascinated, at the change in color. She blushed an awful lot; what was she so embarrassed about?

"Yeah, I'm good."

He took the hand she offered and stood. _'Her hands are really soft…' _For a brief second, he wondered if the rest of her was as soft as her hands were. He dropped her hand as if he had been burned, taking a hasty step back from her.

'_Where the hell did that come from?'_

Once he was on his feet, Hinata turned and bowed to Tsunade one last time. She whispered a quiet goodbye to him as she passed him to leave the room. His nose was filled with the scent of vanilla and he found himself leaning in her direction just a bit. The door closed with an audible _thud_, snapping him out of his stupor and he shook his head quickly, turning his attention to Tsunade. She was observing him with a curious glint in her eye.

"Did you need something, brat?"

Naruto sighed and walked forward to sit on one of the chairs in front of her desk. He felt really uncomfortable about this, but apart from Kakashi-sensei who was currently away, she was the only person he was willing to confide in.

"I needed your advice, baa-chan. I'm really confused."

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched, but she saw the trepidation swimming in his eyes and decided to let it pass. Quickly, she gulped down the sake she had poured earlier and motioned for him to continue.

"Sakura and I went on our first date today." The confused aura around him seemed to get stronger with that sentence, and Tsunade frowned.

"Was it that bad?" Naruto shook his head slowly.

"No. I mean, I had fun, it just didn't feel like a date. From the moment she showed up in my apartment, screaming at me for being late it just felt like a normal day. It felt like hanging out with a friend." He shifted uncomfortably and stared down at his lap in and uncharacteristically nervous gesture.

"Before, when I would see her dressed up my heart would do a funny little dance, or I'd find myself staring or something but not today. She _looked_ really pretty…I just didn't feel anything." He looked up with a tortured expression and Tsunade sighed mentally. Naruto was too loyal for his own good.

"Naruto…are you sure you still love Sakura?" She spoke slowly, not really sure how to handle this without upsetting him. Naruto looked scandalized.

"Of course I love her! How could you even ask me that? I've loved her for years." Tsunade didn't even bat an eye.

"I mean, are you sure you are still _in _love with her_?_" Naruto's face twisted in confusion. What was the difference?

"Look. I realize that it's hard for you to imagine ever _not _being in love with her. But the reality is that you've been through a lot together, and your feelings may have changed over the years. It's possible to love her as a sister, or a friend, and not want anything more. I'm not saying that you do, but I want you to realize that it could happen. In the meantime, you've only been on one date. Hang out with her some more, and keep in mind what I just told you. Decide for yourself if you still love her as something more than a friend or not. You don't have to feel obligated to date her just because it was something you wanted as a kid. Pay attention to what your heart is telling you _now._"

Naruto nodded; his expression more thoughtful than she'd ever seen it. Suddenly he smiled and headed for the door.

"Thanks baa-chan! I think I'll go see her right now!"

The book caught him before he could reach the door. He landed face first in an ungraceful heap on the floor while Tsunade lazily began searching through the drawers for another bottle of sake.

"Idiot. She's at the hospital right now. If you disturb her while she's working I'll have you pulling D-ranks for a week."

* * *

"Hinata! Hey, Hinata!"

Hinata, who just happened to be leaving the orphanage, turned at the sound of her name and squinted, the evening sun making it a little hard to see. Sakura was running towards her still clad in a white doctor's coat, her hair up in a bun.

"Hello Sakura-san. Did you need something?"

"How many times do I have to ask you to call me Sakura? We're friends." Hinata smiled and tilted her head to the side.

"Okay, _Sakura_. Can I help you with something?" Sakura reached her side, and the two continued walking.

"Actually, I'm on my break. I was on my way to get some ramen, would you like to join me?" Hinata considered for a moment before deciding she was hungry and she could wait a little before going home to tell her father the good news. When she nodded her head Sakura linked their arms together and began marching forward, talking animatedly about her shift at the hospital. Hinata sighed and allowed herself to be dragged along.

About a week ago, Sakura had come to her at the Hyuga compound so nervous she actually reminded Hinata of herself at twelve. After about four cups of tea, she finally let slip that she was there because Naruto had asked her on a date again, and she wanted to say yes. As soon as that sentence left her lips she'd flinched violently, as if expecting Hinata to hit her. Hinata had only tilted her head and smiled sadly. She wanted Naruto to be happy, whether or not that was with her. She was not so selfish as to deny him a date with the woman of his dreams. Especially when the woman had been considerate enough to ask her first. It burned a little that he hadn't been brave enough to tell her he didn't like her that way, but Naruto knew her feelings, and had chosen Sakura. That was all there was to it, and she didn't want Sakura to feel guilty about her interest in the blonde. When she'd said as much to Sakura, the girl had broken down, leaning over and crying into her shoulder.

Every day since then, Sakura sought her out. She had still been a little nervous at first, until Hinata assured her that she really was happy for them. And she had meant it. Her jealousy was insignificant if it meant her friends could be happy. Broken hearts didn't last forever.

The two kunoichi steadily became closer, and Hinata had to admit it helped that Sakura never talked about Naruto when they were together. It was easier to hide her pain if she didn't have to confront it. They reached Ichiraku, and placed their orders. Sakura fell silent as they waited and Hinata watched her curiously. Her face went through a number of expressions in a few minutes and she was so deep in thought she didn't notice when her food was placed in front of her. Hinata broke her chopsticks and turned her attention to her own ramen. Sakura would talk when she was ready.

Hinata was about halfway finished when Sakura sighed and started in on her own. She took three bites before pushing away the bowl and turning to face Hinata. Hinata finished eating and put her chopsticks down, giving Sakura her full attention. She watched her eyebrows dip and then Sakura shook her head and smiled awkwardly, turning back around.

"Sakura, if something is bothering you I'm willing to listen. You look like you will explode if you don't get it out." Sakura gave a defeated sigh and turned to her again.

"I just…I spoke with Ino about it and her advice was less than useful…I could really use some objective advice but…it's about Naruto and…I know we never talk about him and I don't want to bother you with it but…"

Hinata bit her lip. The topic was still kind of raw, and she might cry if she delved too deep into her own emotions but she didn't _want _it to become some kind of taboo. She couldn't expect to get over him if she didn't confront the reality that he wouldn't be hers.

"What happened?"

Apparently, that was all Sakura needed to get over her hesitation.

"We had our first date today. The idiot slept in and was so late I actually had to go and pick him up. I figured I'd be furious and offended on a whole new scale since he was missing a date but I was no angrier than I was the last time he was late when we were supposed to meet for something. And the whole time we were on the date I felt kind of awkward. Not nervous, or giddy like I expected. Eventually we managed a normal conversation but I still felt really awkward every time that I thought about the fact that it was a date, and not just us meeting for lunch like we used to. I actually cut it a little short, going to the hospital an hour earlier than I was scheduled because I was just so uncomfortable."

She turned pleading green eyes upon Hinata, silently asking what she should do. Hinata bit her lip again. She steeled herself, like she had done earlier to talk to her father. Her heart was hammering pitifully against her ribcage but her voice was calm when she spoke.

"Don't worry about it too much. It was only your first date. The two of you have been teammates for so long; I'd think it _should _be a little awkward to suddenly start dating. I personally can't imagine going out with Kiba-kun or Shino-kun. But, I don't think you should judge the whole possible relationship on this one date. It may just take a little time for you to get used to the idea. Try going out again and see what happens." Sakura smiled brightly and jumped off her stool, throwing some money down for her food.

"Thanks Hinata! I'll keep that in mind. I really need to head back to the hospital though." She leaned over and hugged Hinata tightly before jogging off toward the hospital. Hinata stared down at her empty bowl, feeling a little heavy. She had done the right thing for her friends, but she kind of just wanted to curl up into a ball. That had been harder than she expected. She paid for her ramen and started walking home.

She stopped abruptly in front of the compound, letting out a sigh and slapping her cheeks, trying to wake herself up. This was no time to be depressed. She got the permission she needed and she had to make sure she was moved in and everything was ready by the end of the week. Nodding resolutely to no one in particular, she marched up to the doors to begin packing.


End file.
